


Per Your Request

by hakumei_hogosha



Series: Per Your Request [1]
Category: Aldnoah.Zero (Anime)
Genre: After Finale, Attempt for Angst, Attempt for Fluff, Attempt for Romance, Bonds, Falling In Love, Family, Flowers, Future, Happy Birthday Slaine Troyard, Happy Ending, I Don't Even Know, M/M, New Beginnings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-12
Updated: 2016-01-24
Packaged: 2018-05-13 07:35:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 19,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5700247
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hakumei_hogosha/pseuds/hakumei_hogosha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>There are no more battles for him to fight. Only a request remains and keeps him moving forward. </em>
</p><p>For the tumblr event going on this week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I saw a week-long tumblr event celebrating Slaine's birthday and figured I'd try my hand in participating. The event I'm referring to can be found on aldnoahslaine.tumblr.com
> 
> Unfortunately I'm still inept at uploading images on the Internet so this will have to do. I'm sorry QQ
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

==A.0==

A creak and a shut. The clanks and clunks of gears turning behind him. They were all sounds he had long become accustomed from visiting the former count. After all, it has been two years since the war had ended and for two years has he frequented this long corridor towards and away a glass room.

However these were sounds and a reality his companion was not accustomed to. He had noticed his companion walked out as they had intended -- excusing themselves -- but her very steps only went through the notions. Robotic and pretending to remain composed. He knew better though and it became more apparent of how shaken she was, the closer they reached the exit of the prison.

Once outside and indulging in her insistence, the two had a long stroll before them to where he had parked the car. Their pace had slowed immensely and in the final stretch to the car, he had to pause and turn to her. She could no longer drag her feet forward or look forward, to look him in the eye.

Was this what his sister had tried to verify with him?

_“She wants to see him and you allowed it?” Yuki had questioned in an alarm voice._

_Inaho had already picked up the car keys and was already on his way out._

_“Yes. I’m sure they both need to see each other.” He had concluded. In the two years he had visited the former count, the time Inaho had mentioned Asseylum’s request did the former count radiate with life._

_Yuki shook her head before resting it in her palm. Her expression suggested what was to happen would not bode well; he could not grasp why. It was necessary for the two -- Asseylum and Troyard -- to talk considering what has happened and… after all, aren’t they friends?_

_“Perhaps it will serve as a good reality check for her.” Yuki said before Inaho nodded and left._

Inaho concluded this is what his sister had meant. Asseylum knew full well she should have disguised herself by now considering that they were out in the open but had yet to do so. Her eyes remained downcast.

“... He’s been living like this… since… then?” Asseylum said in a weakened yet struggling voice.

He could see Asseylum yielded a struggling smile or holding back a sob but her eyes betrayed her. Tears started to fall from her cheeks and before long did she cover her face. He did not need to voice the answer; she knew.

Perhaps he should have said something as Asseylum did not speak after that. The silence continued awkwardly in the car as he drove her back to the Embassy. There was no talk of stopping for a bite to eat and idle chatter; there was no plans for adventuring the city -- things their group of friends suggested when Asseylum came back to Earth from Vers.

Once at the Embassy, Inaho was about to remove his seatbelt and escort Asseylum out of the passenger seat but instead, he found Asseylum reaching for his hand. She brought his hand to her chin and grasped his hand with both of hers; it was a familiar sensation to him. It was like when she had requested saving her childhood friend. Surely, she was going to request something. Inaho was unsure whether or not he can fulfill this time. He could not necessarily say he was succeeding on this one and it was already underworks rather to simply sentence the former count to death out of economical concerns on the UFE side.

“Is… there really no way… for him to be under the blue sky again?”

“No.” Inaho responded, perhaps too fast he noted from Asseylum’s reaction.

Asseylum was taken aback for a moment but she would have to admit saving Slaine was already a miracle on its own.

“Not on my own at least. The higher ups are already making a notion to execute Slaine Troyard later this year. It's almost entirely out of my hands.” Inaho added and informed.

“I see... in other words I need to…” Asseylum mumbled and began to think of a viable solution.

Inaho nodded in agreement.

 

==Asseylum.1== 

Count Klancain spoke in a slightly nervous tone, “Your Highness…”

“I know, Count Klancain.” Asseylum tried to reassure but her voice came out flat.

Their footsteps made a rather peculiar noise for outer space. They had taken a pit stop on the abandoned Moonbase on their way back to Vers and were currently exploring a forsaken memorable place to the empress. It was once the garden Slaine had made for her when she had first awakened from her coma.

What were once green, lush plants were now nothing more than frozen ash. The ceiling that once illuminated a sunny blue sky had long been shut down and instead displayed the cold outer space that laid waste beyond.

Count Klancain was somewhat at a loss as to why they were here but could presume it involved her visit with the former count, her childhood Terran friend. However there seemed to be nothing here to the count.

The empress seemed to have come to a halt and took a long look around the forgotten garden. The memories of back then danced in her mind and it was almost like she could imagine ghosts of the past reenacting her memories before her. The only difference for her now from then was that now she stood where Slaine had once before. Here above this balcony, he could see everything he had made but also see past that. The empress looked to the "sky" where the apparent borders of each displaying screen were ever more obvious with dust and for some static and sparks of failing electrical connections. It was as if the dream they shared was below but unable to for manifest into the reality above.

She closed her eyes and sighed. Before leaving Earth, Inaho had inadvertently made it clear how cruel a fate she had left not only to Slaine and that even Inaho could only do so much. No. He was doing what clearly should have been her responsibility.

Eddelrittuo’s words echoed in her mind as the empress resumed her pacing but this time more quickly and now towards a room with an empty tube.

_"He never changed."_

_"He did whatever he could to keep you alive even if it would risk his life."_

_"He waited for you to wake up. He believed you would wake up."_

Could she say the same for herself? Did she even have that luxury considering her role to her people?

What meaning was there to save a kingdom without consideration of its citizens. Technically Slaine discarded his citizenship but even so...

She shook her head. Such thoughts didn't matter. All that mattered was that she wanted to help and save that one person. Looking once more at the empty tube, Asseylum gathered her thoughts and had figured out a plan.

 

==Inaho.1==

“I see. I have that part covered.” Inaho answered before putting away his phone.

A few months had passed since Asseylum had visited Inaho and for one reason another, Inaho was currently seeking shelter at a closed aviation workshop… in the outskirts of one of the smaller European countries. Inaho found a small bit of roof the workshop had to spare and leaned against the wall, which was thankfully dry. However not all his problems were solved; a chilly gust of wind howled and Inaho was again reminded of how cold it was here as opposed to Japan.

“You again? Didn’t you see the sign around back -- no soliciting?” A male voice said next to Inaho; it was a mechanic Inaho had seen on site for the last few days. The mechanic was definitely trying to play dumb. Unfortunately for the mechanic, Inaho was not the easiest person to chase away once his mind was set.

Inaho nonetheless played along. He did not have many options given his circumstances. “Yes but I am here to see Mrs. Kirsten T--”

“I have no business with UFE scum,” the person of interest stated flatly. She had opened the main entrance of the workshop -- the gigantic gates in which they’d bring in or out various planes and other aviation tools.

“UFE?” The mechanic exclaimed in shock but then noticed the uniform Inaho had on underneath his jacket and scarf. “We especially don’t do business--”

“I am here to discuss business not necessarily pertaining to the UFE.” Inaho said.

The woman’s hair was more brightly blond but Inaho was sure he was facing Slaine’s mother; their resemblance is uncanny and impossible to deny. Kirsten had turned around and was attempting to rudely disregard Inaho.

The mechanic got a hold of Inaho’s shoulder and already Inaho could decipher the man’s intention to use force to remove him from the premises. Inaho added, “It’s regarding your son.”

Inaho’s taciturn nature was not helping him. He may have gambled poorly as he noticed the mechanic had winced upon hearing him. The mechanic’s expression implicitly suggested that he shouldn’t have said that and he was in for it now. Kirsten had dropped whatever she was carrying loudly and crudely; she was surely holding her anger.

“My son’s dead. Now I would highly recommend that you consider your next words very carefully or leave. Otherwise, I cannot promise that you won’t be flying back in one piece, Japanese boy.”

Kirsten turned to Inaho and behind Inaho, Inaho could hear the mechanic let a muffled whimper for Kirsten was glaring at Inaho. He sighed as he was long use to seeing that expression from Slaine. “If I were to say he was alive, then would I have your attention?”

“Oh. Completely.” Kirsten said with a disturbing smile and immediately walked over to Inaho, gripping both of his shoulders. Inaho’s view went upside down as her voice blared through his ears. “When pigs fly and over a bunch of horse manure!”

She had thrown him like a sack of potatoes and in a manner that Inaho was going to land head first to the ground.

_“Yes. She is definitely Slaine’s mother.”_ Inaho concluded.

 

==Slaine.1== 

_“A tracking device?”_ Slaine thought as he looked to the armlet wrapped around his right wrist.

“Troyard.” Inaho addressed to get Slaine’s attention.

Slaine looked up from his wrist to his former enemy, who sat across from him. He had not seen Kaizuka Inaho in several months. Inaho had visited him one more time since the Empress’s visit and had informed Slaine that he would be unable to visit him for at least a few months due to a mission. Inaho did not disclose any more details but whatever it was, did not stop Inaho from abruptly visiting him once more. This time, however Inaho had brusquely ordered him to prepare to leave the prison and into his car to the airport.

Now, the two were aboard a private plane that was heading to an unknown destination to Slaine. He couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. He could tell wherever he was heading brought not only unease to the wardens and other personnel from the prison but there was something in the air that, he knew his time was calling -- the time he had been waiting for, his execution. Perhaps he was being taken back to Russia where the main headquarters of UFE was during the war; of course he wondered if the UFE would be not consider relocating after what had happened.

“Troyard...”

The blond sighed and looked down to the recognizable black and white checkered board. No matter how many times he was close to death in war and escaped, he still couldn’t find a way to escape from Inaho’s chess games. It was Slaine’s turn and he had not only paid little attention to the status of the board but did not place much thought of his previous or his current move. Perhaps, Inaho kept insisting this game as it was the most fitting for the two veterans. Chess after all was a game of philosophy and perhaps, this was the best chance Inaho had in understanding him -- the same going for him. However Inaho fails to understand one thing -- Slaine did not care. Slaine can see how the threads of fate were spinning and that he was at the end of his rope. Did Inaho not see the futility in what he had done? Inaho could have saved himself -- as well as spare Slaine of his suffering of these chess games -- of dealing with Slaine anymore. After all, the world already considers him dead so why continue this facade?

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One by one, things he once thought were lost, were returning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** QQ Work hit overdrive this week and no matter how I cut this work, it wouldn't behave with respect to the daily prompts. Looks like I'll be going for the next best thing of finishing this by Monday ^^;

==Inaho.2==

Inaho sighed as he tried his best to move the gear shift with minimal movement. He had not foreseen this possibility happening. Slaine Troyard had fallen asleep a half hour into their several hour drive from the airport and now, the ashen blond’s head was now nestling on top of Inaho’s right thigh.

 _“Free [me] from the chains of misery,”_ Inaho thought to himself.

However Inaho figured in the end it was to be expected; he too was feeling a growing lethargy that could easily make him fall asleep on the spot if he did not need to get them to their destination as soon as possible. The plan for this very journey to begin, was a gamble on its own and Inaho did not think the success rate was high enough if he had done it himself. Hence, he had told the empress her collaboration was necessary. Little did Inaho consider Slaine himself could be useful on securing an extension -- at the very least -- before his execution.

_“This is plausible,” Inaho had inferred when thinking what Asseylum had suggested._

_Asseylum hummed in agreement over the screen Eddelrittuo had in the room. She had shared to Inaho the plan of providing an ordinance to Slaine Troyard on a highly prioritized project commencing on Mars, a project focused on making agriculture possible on Mars. Technically it had always been possible but the allocation necessary to make cultivation satisfactory required capital that had been ‘better’ used for militarization or housing the general population. Asseylum had suggested Troyard on the task due to his familiarity with Vers’ resources, a matter the former count had always kept close in mind._

_“However it will be dependent on minimizing how much Troyard knows.”_

_The empress smile sadly, “Yes. I am aware… how much he would rather have this to pass but…”_

_The memory of the empty tube and the battle that had stretched throughout the horizon before the Moon base came to mind. Nineteen months she had lost to what seemed like an eternal slumber. It should have been an eternal slumber._

_“I’ll do what I can on my end to make it happen, even if it does not come to pass.” Inaho added._

_Asseylum’s eyes blinked but then remembered their earlier discussion. He had said he had already looked into something regarding the matter._

_“I was investigating if Troyard had any remaining living relatives.”_

_“He had informed me had none back on Earth…” Asseylum informed and then wondered if perhaps an extended family member was what Inaho was referring to._

_“I located his mother.”_

The plan was a success as the empress had fooled Slaine into defending himself against certain execution in the coming days. However the UFE was surely predicting its impending failure when the time past. Two years, Inaho had to not only figure out if it was a possible timeline but to also ensure Slaine would abide by this. Inaho was certain the ashen blond was sour over what had happened considering the immediate car slam, glare and silence that followed after the conference call with the UFE High Council and the empress.

Actually, Inaho had a bigger and more immediate problem. He had indeed located Slaine Troyard’s mother but he had yet to entirely secure cooperation with her. Furthermore, he had failed to inform Slaine of their destination given the latter’s current state.

Once again Inaho sighed as he had pulled into the familiar workshop and like an established routine, the mechanic had abandoned opening the shop and started making his way towards him. Oddly enough the workshop’s gates were already wide open. Kirsten could be anywhere which for some reason was making Inaho more uneasy than normal.

 _“Driving back onto the road and toughing it out in the wilderness has a higher probability of survival…”_ Inaho had began to think. It was somewhat irrational for him but regarding his chances against Kirsten, it was by far a more plausible plan.

 

==Slaine.2==

A hand got a hold of Slaine’s shoulder and lightly shook him. “Bat, we’re here. Wake up.”

Slaine stirred a bit but kept his eyes closed, Slaine could not bring himself to get up. Inaho had set the car heater to maximum heat and in turn, rendered the car into perhaps the most comfortable place for Slaine to sleep in for the past two years. He had been fooled once today by both Inaho and the empress. One misconduct can’t make this any more horrible Slaine thought and once again, nestled his head in the comfortable spot he found.

“Have you not had enough yet, Kaizuka?” An unfamiliar voice exclaimed from outside the car.

“Tell me about it,” Slaine had mumbled in a groggy voice.

“Bat.” Inaho beckoned, trying to get the ashen blond to sit up.

The voice was closer now; Slaine imagined the source of the voice was now in front of the car. He seemed rather chipper and amused. “A car’s not going to stop her you know.”

“I take it you have first hand experience.” Inaho replied to the mechanic.

Slaine’s eyes brusquely opened as his pillow went away. He began to sit up and survey where they were but without warning, a plane was landing at the workshop. It had flown insanely close to the car to the point Slaine had brusquely sat up and was bewildered to find the aircraft to be nothing more than an ordinary biplane. It was not affiliated with the UFE and for certain was too archaic in comparison to Martian technology.

“Troyard.” Inaho addressed Slaine but this time not by his nickname. Inaho wanted him out of the car and Slaine saw no other alternative.

As he closed the car door, Slaine felt uneasy for the landscape was uncomfortably nostalgic to him. He walked next to Inaho warily and turned to see who Inaho was talking to. It was a mechanic that seemed shocked at the sight of him. Slaine gulped as he could tell the atmosphere was becoming abnormally tense for what seemed to be a place Inaho frequented.

 _“It must have been because I’m here,”_ Slaine had thought and even noted the fact he was neither handcuffed or covered.

He had no idea what Inaho was thinking to not consider either and only placed a tracking device on him. The tracking device was rather elementary as well; it seemed to only be a bracelet with a tracker and showed of signs of any explosives or other lethal repercussions if Slaine was to escape the range of the tracker.

“Japanese boy.” A sharp yet piercing voice said.

The uneasy feeling worsened. Something was dawning upon Slaine but he did not dare acknowledge it. That something -- whatever it was -- Slaine perceived was something he would rather leave unearthed.

No. It refused. That something was a truth, which like all truth would and always see the light of day.

Slaine  knew that voice. 

The voice belonged to the pilot who had joined them immediately after turning off the plane's engine and was now unraveling her headgear. Gold hair. Turquoise eyes. A face unnaturally familiar. There was only one other person that could have it besides himself -- his mother.

The woman’s expression remained unmoved but Slaine could tell out of practice, how her lips were slowly curling downwards and her eyes were struggling to hold back tears. The turquoise eyes were sucking him in. He had seen them once before, long… long… ago. Eagerly he had once looked at them and begged for countless, unnecessary things but primarily to be read to about the wildlife of Earth.

She was the one who cultivated his love for the birds and beauty of Earth. However she too had been nothing more than a memory of a distant life he once had. She should be nothing more than a memory. His father had informed Slaine that she was not coming back, which he had perceived as his father saying she had passed away.

Now here was his mother, before him. Now here he was, before her. Each of them surely had believed the other was dead until now.

The woman struggled to speak. She weakly extended her hand and was trying to reach for him. Perhaps she too was in disbelief and was thinking she was looking at an apparition.

Her thin, long fingers gently touched his right cheek and out of old habit, his body tensed from the human contact. Her touch was abnormally gentle even from his memories; it was as if she was treating him like glass. She was definitely trying to figure out if he was real.

“Slaine… is… is that… really you?”


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Even in a change of scenery, he seemed far from fulfilling her last request.

==Inaho.3==

“Thank you for the meal... Mrs. Troyard,” Slaine said before bowing and excusing himself from the kitchen.

“Is that a bow from Mars?” Kirsten asked, brusquely stopping Slaine from his escape.

Slaine turned and properly bowed his head. “Yes. Now if you excuse me.”

 _“He’s purposely reminding us of Mars.”_ Inaho figured as he drank the tea.

Kirsten hummed and smiled. Something had got her attention as she seemed to be staring into an uninteresting spot on the wooden dining table. “Your ally is more powerful than I thought.”

 _“She is the Empress of Vers after all… but why do you bring this up now,”_ Inaho pondered as Kirsten had gotten up and started gathering the plates.

She walked a few steps away from the table and turned on the facet. “A month ago someone recently moved into the abandoned lot 3 km away from here.”

_“A new neighbor? The timing…”_

Kirsten had spoke when he had stood next to her to give his plate. He flinched to her response; her insight surprised him.

“How far is the tracking device functional on Slaine? 4 km?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… this seems well thought out.” Kirsten turned off the faucet and placed the last dish into the drying rack.

 

**…**

Before heading to bed, Inaho worked his way to the room Slaine was to stay in until things were more settled. As he expected the ashen blond was sitting on his bed and attentively albeit in a daze, had his feet facing the door and hands resting on his knees; Slaine looked like he was waiting for something to happen.

“Judging from your interactions, you’ve come here multiple times.” Slaine spoke, in a rather monotone voice yet did not look at Inaho.

Inaho leaned into the doorframe with crossed arms. “Yes.”

“And I can tell you caught her off guard.”

 _“I don’t know about that…”_ Inaho thought and responded, “Not necessarily. I just brought the means to convince her without a shadow of a doubt, that I meant what I had said.”

Slaine held by a chuckle as a huff and covered his face with his palm. “Did you ever consider how much trouble you may be causing her?”

Inaho remained quiet. There were of course trade offs he had considered. His mother’s file was peculiarly well decorated with UFE Academy achievements. From the achievements alone, she should have been a high-ranking officer if she had continued in the UFE. Arguably, Inaho even considered Kirsten as a possible contender for the Admiral position. However for some unknown reason, Kirsten had dropped out of the academy and seemed to be avoiding anything related to the UFE.

“Tch… Typical of you,” Slaine groaned and fell back on the bed, “typical of both of you.”

_“Did he just--”_

“How long is this arrangement?”

Finally, Slaine was willing to talk about the more pertinent task at hand.

“Ideally, indefinitely. They will be sending an envoy to check if you need any assistance on your preparation in two months and a report of your agenda for the next two years to ensure you remain on track,” Inaho informed.

“Two months… Two years…” Slaine repeated in a tiring voice and then once more sat up. “And if I were to fail?”

“I never asked.” Inaho immediately replied. “It is highly unlikely for you to fail considering--”

“You’re overestimating me Orange. This is a task a highly educated economist, botanist, agricultural specialist or all of the above to do. Additionally the alternative task is one I have no knowledge regarding. I know nothing of my father’s research,” Slaine reasoned.

This was perhaps the most information and most Inaho had heard from the ashen blond since the end of the war, let alone about the ashen blond himself. Inaho was further impressed for how rational Slaine was, arguably Inaho found himself wondering if the latter was sick.

“You will succeed--”

“Because I have no choice? Because it would trouble Her Highness?” Slaine tried to finish what Inaho had begun.

Inaho shook his head. “If you were able to make the Martians follow your commands, you can find the necessary, economic solution Seylum-san is looking for.”

He noted how little his comment reassured Slaine. Additionally, Slaine did not ‘correct’ his way of addressing Seylum. Slaine sighed and now rested his head on his knuckles; he had propped both of his arms on his knees.

“Impossible.”

 

**…**

The following morning, Inaho discovered he was not the earliest riser in the household. Yuri and Kirsten were already making breakfast by the time he had reached the main house. Kirsten had let Inaho stay in the guest room in the adjacent workshop; the main house only had three bedrooms after all.

“Morning,” Inaho greeted after removing his jacket and scarf, “do you need any assistance?”

Yuri yawned and tried to think of something but automatically looked to Kirsten. Kirsten was sipping her coffee cooly and she answered. “Is my son not a morning person?”

Inaho thought for a moment but Kirsten stood up, smiling to herself as she headed to the workshop. “Just like his father.”

When she reached the door, she paused and turned to Inaho, “Ah. You use to pilot a Sleipnir right?”

“Yes?”

“Good. I could use an actual pilot’s feedback on this project. When you’re done eating breakfast, come into the workshop. I’m putting you to work.”

It was to be expected. Inaho had anticipated that he would have to work his keep. However that did not entirely mean he could shrug what duties he had with Slaine. Inaho finished his breakfast and the ashen blond had yet to leave his room. Considering his options, Inaho prepared a meal at the dining table before venturing to the room Slaine was using.

Inaho knocked once. He knocked twice. Perhaps, Slaine was still sleeping Inaho presumed before he stepped back from the door. To his mild surprise, the doorknob turned and Slaine had apparently left the room earlier than Inaho had arisen. Slaine held an empty coffee mug and under his right arm, he was carrying a rather thick book.

The two looked at each other in silence until Inaho informed, “There’s breakfast on the table and Mrs. Troyard--”

“Is putting you to work in the workshop,” Slaine finished while walking towards the kitchen with Inaho trailing behind him.

 _“So he can hear that far away,”_ Inaho noted. “Out of curiosity--”

“3:30. Yuri had already woken up and was brewing coffee. He offered and directed me to the study.”

Inaho presumed Yuri had forgotten to mention this to Mrs. Troyard as the latter had reached a conclusion that apparently was not correct. “I see. Is there any additional material you need to prepare?”

Slaine answered while refilling his coffee and then looked at the food. “The effects of pressure on living organisms and the current economic data on Vers.”

 _“Specific. Good. He’s being serious.”_ Inaho thought and nodded as he started an initial search through the necessary networks for the information on his phone. “I’ll see what I can do. For the time being--”

Slaine interjected as he sat down at the dining table. “I’m browsing through my father’s research and seeing what I can make sense of it. Aldnoah technology after all is Vers’s only lifeline right now. Vers can’t necessarily rely on that alone in the long-term.”

Inaho nodded and taking in the rather drastic change in Slaine’s assertiveness on the task. “You’re covering both tasks.”

“I can’t necessary fulfill either at the moment and anyway, shouldn’t you be reporting to the workshop? I assure you I will be remaining in the 4 km range of your tracker.”

 _“So you heard that as well.”_ Inaho pointed out, “Assuming I do not go airborne.”

Slaine had fallen silent and had taken a sip of his coffee. Inaho stopped leaning on the counter and put on his jacket and scarf. “I will take my leave then. I’ll check on you at lunch.”

Closing the door behind him, Inaho had left Slaine alone to eat his breakfast in peace.

 _“He adapts faster than I anticipated… or so he may seem.”_ Inaho observed when walking into the workshop and was quickly seized by the shoulder.

 

**…**

Mrs. Troyard had enlisted Inaho’s help in trying out a possible new configuration for the Kataphrakt controls. As expected the woman was far more skilled in the mechanics and actual piloting but not so much on the programming side.

Days flew by as Inaho started reworking the software to address Mrs. Troyard’s handiwork. Before Inaho could actively notice, it was Slaine that had come to the workshop to report what he had been doing.

“Rotational maneuvering still?” Slaine asked while looking over Inaho’s shoulder.

Inaho nodded and once again edited a line of code before letting the program run again to find any bugs.

Line 2876 this time reported an error. Overall an error count of 174.

“Guess I’m not the only one being worked to the bone.”

Inaho hummed and turned to the ashen blond who had crouched a bit to see the small computer screen Inaho was working on. Slaine had a grip on the prototype plane hooked up to the computer. Inaho surveyed the rest of the workshop for Yuri and Kirsten. Further back, Yuri and Kirsten were fixing a plane from a nearby airport.

“Yuri, did you check the system?”

“Yeah. It’s all clear and green.”

“Let’s give this another go then.”

Kirsten went from the front of the plane and into the cockpit whereas Yuri took Kirsten’s former spot albeit several steps back as Kirsten started the engine. To be expected, the propellers of the plane stuttered and did not run smoothly. The propellers spun at a ridiculous slow pace and at times would not even finish an entire rotation.

“No good Kirsten.”

“Nope but let’s see give it three more attempts to see if it’s just needs to get going.”

“Right.”

Slaine commented, “They’ve been working on this for a few days now.”

“It appeared to be a simple fix but the problem seems more complicated,” Inaho said and returned his attention to Slaine, who was now paying attention to the two mechanics.

Slaine’s comment had confirmed something Inaho had been suspicious since he started working in the workshop, particularly when Kirsten and Yuri had started on this commission. Inaho noticed as the propellers began to turn, Slaine’s grip on the plane had tightened and unbeknownst to the ashen blond, Slaine was not looking good.

“Let’s talk outside.” Inaho decided and got a hold of Slaine’s arm; nowadays Slaine was carrying a book of some sort with his other hand.

Slaine tilted his in confusion but didn’t resist Inaho’s gesture. “All right.”

Once outside the workshop, Inaho continued to take them back towards the main house.

“Isn’t this far enough, Orange?”

Inaho paused and looked to Slaine, who removed his arm from Inaho’s grip. The brunette crossed his arms and stared at Slaine. His color was slowly improving.

“Orange…” Slaine started. Inaho could tell Slaine was starting to get annoyed.

“How goes the research? Did the additional material help?” Inaho asked although he could make a good guess of the second question.

The additional material Slaine had asked previously, were all electronic; Slaine was still carrying a hardcover book. Judging from the book’s cover, Inaho presumed it was another volume of Dr. Troyard’s research.

Slaine looked away. “The material helps… as for the research, Mister…” Slaine paused before continuing. He was correcting himself as Yuri made a big deal about this during lunch the other day.

Inaho waited for Slaine to continue yet he remained silent. Slaine covered his mouth as he chuckled and Inaho could see for a moment Slaine’s eyes had become watery.

Slaine blinked quickly when he caught sight of Inaho’s continued stare and cleared his throat. “Yuri wanted to know if I needed gardening equipment and fertilizer.”

“Yes.”

“I would like to survey what I will have to work with at the cottage.”

“I see.” Inaho acknowledged. The cottage was approximately 3 km from their current location so if Slaine were to go on his own, it would be cutting it close. “We can look in the morning.”

Slaine nodded and proceeded back into the main house.

 

**…**

Gardening was not a topic Inaho was diversely familiar with and was now debating if he should have done some reading. He was sure there had to be a more efficient way of doing this. Slaine had inadvertently got Inaho to help with the manual labor of turning the soil and planting some seeds. Inaho was primarily helping him on the former.

“Troyard. I’ve finished.” Inaho said while digging the shovel and resting his arm on it.

There was no answer.

“Troyard?”

No answer again.

Inaho ditched his shovel and went to the back of the garden house. It was alot larger than he had anticipated once inside and the last user had planted a hedge that had long grown rabid and out of control. Inaho considered removing it entirely as it blocked Inaho’s sight of Slaine when the latter was on this other side just like now.

“Troyard!” Inaho exclaimed but then sighed in relief. The ashen blond had simply fallen asleep against a pillar and next to the gardening batch he was working on. _“Of course his stamina hasn’t fully returned yet. You need to eat more.”_

Looking at Slaine’s handiwork, Inaho determined Slaine had finished planting yellow roses seeing the batch promptly labeled in Slaine's rather fancy penmanship and Slaine was about to plant another batch of roses. Inaho sighed and took the bag of gardening seeds; he might as well help Slaine finish what he had set out to do.

In a half hour’s time, Inaho planted the seeds somewhat adjacent to Slaine’s batch. It was simple and easy to replicate considering Slaine had at least finished one batch. And of course, the ashen blond was waking up shortly after Inaho planted the last seed.

“Mmm…”

“Bat, is there anything else that we are going to do here today?” Inaho asked.

Slaine stretched and blinked a few times. He didn’t answer Inaho’s question as his eyes widened; something caught his attention and he looked horrified.

“Bat?”

The ashen blond looked at Inaho, then the garden, Inaho again and lastly at his hand.

“I planted the bag of seeds you were holding if you were wondering where they went,” Inaho informed considering that was what had Slaine in a state of panic.

“And… you planted them…” Slaine went and had crouched up to the batch. He pointed at what Inaho had just finished making. “Here?”

“Yes.”

Slaine facepalmed. “Did you do this on purpose?”

 _“On purpose? You were going to plant them so I figured…”_ Inaho had reasoned and verbalized, “Yes?” He was uncertain why Slaine’s tone was both resigned and annoyed.

“Of course you did… There’s no way you wouldn’t know.”

“I beg to differ. What is the problem?”

Slaine looked up and the two stood up. He took the bag of seeds from Inaho and pointed to an obscure red marking Slaine must have placed on the bag. “These are seeds for red roses… and you planted them approximately next to yellow roses.”

“Yes?”

“You…” Slaine groaned in disbelief. “They’re going to crossbreed, Orange! Orange roses! Do you even know what that means?”

“No.” Inaho said flatly to which Slaine shook his head and walked out of the garden house. They were apparently done for the day.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N:** I didn't think I could pull it off but I managed to cover the prompt for flowers (albeit this is long overdue haha... better late than never though??? QQ) 
> 
> To elaborate on why Slaine stormed off -- orange roses have the meaning of love emerging from friendship.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had given in.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I probably should stop trying to make a deadline as technically I had this ready on Monday but I was not pleased with it. For a good reason I'd say as I ended up adding more things and I think it's better than before :D This turned out a lot more fun and challenging to write than I thought. It's unfortunate there's only one chapter left. u_u
> 
> I hope you enjoy ^(^_^)

==Inaho.4==

“Troyard. We should go back.” Inaho suggested.

“A little rain doesn’t hurt.” Slaine responded and had stopped to turn to the brunette, who had leaned against a tree.

A little was an understatement. Inaho had his arm resting on his forehead to shield his one eye from the rain and better see what was ahead. It was indeed only raining lightly… now but the ashen blond had not considered that it had been raining non-stop since mid-morning and it was now late evening. Kirsten had warned them that they should return earlier and earlier the better as the ground in the woods were not well founded.

“Orange. It’s only three kilometers. We’ve at least done a third at this point and we should arrive within the hour… if we keep moving forward.”

Inaho sighed and against his better judgment, agreed with Slaine who Inaho was sure was underestimating the weather. However the new weather change seemed to have lightened Slaine’s mood. The ashen blond’s eyes were not as lifeless as before.

 _“He’s looking better now. It’s good we managed to get him out of the prison. Indefinitely.”_ Inaho thought.

They walked for awhile longer yet this time Slaine came to a halt and looked confused.

“We should have already cleared the woods by now.”

“You’re right… theoretically we should have been following the dirt path back,” Inaho commented and looked to the ground. The once moderately heterogeneous pile of dirt was now rather muddy and borderline more like water than dirt. “I can’t confirm if we have been or when we deviated from the path.”

“...”

“Slaine?”

“Sorry. We should have turned back, shouldn’t we? Then again you don’t usually relent so easily.”

“The rain was light and you seemed to be enjoying yourself.”

Slaine had turned to Inaho who was still a few steps behind. Even in this worsening weather, Slaine’s turquoise eyes shimmered and seemed to light the way before Inaho. Inaho could tell the man was still confused yet no longer because of why they were lost, rather because of Inaho’s statement. Slaine’s mouth hung open. Was he speechless?

“E-even if I did, I’m still--”

“You’re not a prisoner Slaine Troyard. Not anymore.”

The ashen blond still looked at Inaho confused.

“Only you are thinking that now Slaine. I’m here because--”

“KAIZUKA!”

The turquoise eyes seemed to have grown distant. Everything was becoming distant. Inaho could no longer feel the ground and everything started turning upside down.

 _“I must have… lost my footing…”_ Inaho reasoned as he briefly looked to where he once was. The ground underneath had collapsed.

Slaine had reached out to him but it was obvious they were far too apart.

_**Thud!** _

Inaho could see Slaine start  making his way down and when looking upward, everything started to spin. He had been stopped by a tree yet one of the branches didn’t look secured.

 _“Don’t come here Slaine.”_ Inaho thought and tried to speak but all he could hear was the collapse of wood and shaking branches. All went dark.

 

**...**

==Slaine.3==

“Tch.” Slaine grimaced as he felt a pain throb in his left wrist.

He let go of the branch for the time being and again surveyed the incident in front of him. Inaho had become unresponsive by the time Slaine had reached him below the ravine and a massive branch had fallen on him to make an already difficult position, even worse. The only thing going for him right now was there was no worry of flooding where they were. The tree had stopped Inaho from falling any further.

 _“I can’t leave him here.”_ Slaine concluded as he looked to where they were and in the general direction they had considered continuing. It was uncertain if that path would still lead outside of the woods and on their way home.

Slaine looked back at Inaho who was thankfully not turning pale for now. The longer Slaine looked at the brunette, Slaine remembered the brunette still had his cellphone. The ashen blond weaseled his right hand to the appropriate pocket Inaho kept the phone.

 _“Thank goodness. Now if only…”_ Slaine prayed as he flipped it open.

Immediately, a password prompt came up and Slaine bit his lip.

“This is an emergency Orange. Let me at least fix this mistake.” Slaine said, more to himself as he keyed in Inaho’s password; he had long caught sight of it during their wait at the airport.

 

**…**

=Inaho.5==

“...range…”

“Or…”

“O… range!..”

Inaho tried to open his eye but he felt abnormally heavy. He could barely feel his fingertips. Something was gripping his hand tightly. Something wet was falling on his face.

“Kaizuka Inaho!”

“Inaho!.. Thank goodness…”

After another struggle, Inaho managed to open his eye and his gaze met the turquoise eyes again. It weren’t his eyes that captivated Inaho’s attention; for the first time, Slaine was smiling genuinely before him. What was falling on Inaho’s face was Slaine’s tears.

“Thank goodness…” Slaine repeated once more as he leaned back, releasing his grip on Inaho’s hand.

Inaho tried to speak but gradually his vision blurred and everything went dark. He was losing consciousness again. All he could make sense then that they were no longer outside in the rain and back at the house somehow.

 

**…**

==Slaine.4==

“The doctor will arrive momentarily, Kirsten. But from what I can see, Inaho just bumped his head pretty hard.” Yuri stated after closing the door behind them.

Kirsten and Yuri had arrived in their pickup truck and managed to excavate Inaho from the debris. With little trouble, the four of them returned to Kirsten’s house where they had moved Inaho to the room Slaine had been residing in.

“All right, we’ll stay in the back but if you need me, holler Yuri.” Kirsten responded as she turned around and looked into the restroom.

Slaine sat on a wooden stool much to his dismay and had a towel over his shoulder. His mother had practically told him to strip upon returning to the house. He couldn’t blame her for the two had become drenched waiting for Yuri and Kirsten’s assistance.

Kirsten turned around and offered her hand. “Your left arm, Slaine.”

He complied but avoided looking at her in the face. Kirsten had retrieved a first aid kit and kept the drawer under the sink open. Slaine could see additional medical supplies and equipment.

 _“She must be stocked well enough to remain isolated... By being here, I've--”_ Slaine thought while grimacing and flinching every so often as his mother felt around his left wrist.

“You are rather worried for the Japanese boy, more so than I thought.”

“It may just be a concussion but he had sustained a more serious head injury from...” Slaine explained and bit his lower lip. He knew more than he was telling yet the words were hard to spit out. Slaine knew he deserved nothing more than his mother’s judgment and that there was no point in hiding anything.

“From you.” Kirsten finished and finally loosened her grip on Slaine’s left wrist as she used her other hand to retrieve a splint from her medical supplies. “Thankfully it’s sprained. Ideally I’d want the doctor that is so conveniently here to look but…”

Slaine could hear the sarcasm in his mother’s voice yet at the same time underneath that sarcastic tone, the cold objectiveness he had sought and was thankful for.

“Sorry.” Slaine struggled to say; he was uncertain what to say.

Once the splint was put in place, Kirsten looked around Slaine’s arms and applied some ointment and bandage wrapped them. “You really were trying to pull him out on your own. You should have known that branch was too much for you to handle, even if you pull the smaller branches off of it.”

Kirsten looked up and pulled the towel from his shoulders to dry his hair. He had tried to resist her attempt but he was one hand short.

“I can--”

“I know you’re trying to hide something.” Kirsten stated and Slaine closed his eyes as he gave in. He could feel the open air against his barren back and chest. A few moments later, Slaine expectantly saw his mother’s reaction. Widened, watering eyes. A stifled sniffle. Trembling hands and a discarded towel.

“It’s not your fault--” Slaine said as he barely could hear his mother try to apologize. His mother had collapsed onto her knees and embraced him much to his surprise. Slaine debated to return the gesture but as he saw his hands behind her, he instead formed fists.

 _“My hands are too covered in blood. Just seeing her is enough.”_ He thought as he held back a sob. His mother’s warmth was unbearable to him. He craved it. He missed it.

But it too was painful. He didn’t deserve this. How many people did he kill that would not return home? How many of his own men did he send to their deaths, never to be embraced by their loved ones? To see their children?

Slaine had been distracted because he didn’t realize his face was warm and wet. He had started to cry and his mother was weakly wiping his tears just as he wept. Slaine tried to wipe his own tears yet was surprised to have found his hands had wrapped around his mother. Subconsciously he had relaxed and given into the urge. He grimaced and looked away.

_“How despicable of me.”_

His mother turned his head with her hands cupping his face. Slaine tried to resist her but his strength to do so, his willpower to deny this, was dwindling. His heart longed for this miracle he had long thought impossible while his mind thought otherwise.

“Tell me. How… how did this happen?”

“I…” Slaine began yet felt his voice choking in his throat.

_“Don’t get to know me.”_

“Slaine… please.”

He could feel it becoming nigh likely he could speak without sobbing. He had to do this. He had to tell her of all the despicable crimes he has done. He had to push her away. Rip away the possibility that this could last. It won’t. He’s lost so much. No.

_“I’ve lost everything. I don’t need this. I don’t need something else to lose.”_

Slaine momentarily opened his eyes as he knew he had been silent for a good few minutes and out of nervousness, he could feel his fingers digging into his palm as they had turned into fists. Somewhere in his mind he felt his lack of obedience would warrant a familiar smack with the back of a cane. It was irrational yet the anticipation was long ingrained.

His mouth hanged open for a moment as his mother was not angry as he irrationally expected but there was no frustration at the very least he thought. Instead, Kirsten’s tears wordlessly fell down her cheeks and an inexplicable, small smile was on her face. She got a hold of his hands and gently unrolled them, entwining their hands together.

“I know I have no right to say this.” She began; Kirsten had taken their hands and brought it to her forehead, like if she was going to pray for their sake. She closed her eyes as she prayed.

_“No it is I who has no right to be here.”_

“Please let me have my son back.”

Slaine’s eyes widened for a moment before despairing once more. If only his voice would cooperate. Of all the times he lied and deceived, the time he needs it most he cannot speak.

“I know I deserve no second chance--”

Slaine shook his head and tried to free his hands from her. _“It’s me who deserves no second chance! I led the war! I went against Hime! I killed our own flesh and blood! I…”_

Kirsten would not release his hands even if he almost escaped, accidentally scratched at her hands, she would keep her hold firm.

Slaine swallowed hard the sobs that were in his throat and he spoke, still averting his eyes from looking at his mother. “Please… let… me…”

“No.” Kirsten immediately denied.

It was to be expected. She was his mother after all. Where else could he have gotten his stubbornness? Rather, where did he get his determination?

“Look at me, Slaine.”

Slaine paused. He knew if he did, he would not be able to escape.

“Please.”

And there, Slaine had given in. The tears had long left marks on his mother’s face but what drew his attention was how her voice sounded so desperate and anguished. He did not want to warrant her concern, her sadness and instead wanted nothing more than her to be as happy as he had envisioned in some obscure thought, some weak attempt he had long ago made as a child to address his motherless childhood if she was still alive.

 _“She should have forgotten me. She should have been happier. She should have been somewhere far, far away where I couldn’t find her and to the point we both didn’t know of each other’s continued existence.”_ Slaine tried weakly to convince himself as he could still feel his mother’s hands firmly wrapping his.

She was not going to let him go but she would not force him anymore than this.

Her eyes were telling him. “I’ll wait. I’ll wait until you’re ready. I won’t relent. I will be here.”

Slaine felt his breath once again become ragged. Kirsten released one of their hands and patted the back of his head, making him rest his head on her shoulder. “Just let it out. I’m not going anywhere.”

 _“It’s not a matter of you going anywhere. It’s me. This is only temporary.”_ He thought. He reiterated. He desperately tried to convince himself.

“UFE, Mars. Japanese boy. Your father… This time, I swear I won’t let you leave.” Kirsten declared and continued with a sniffle chuckle. “After all, you just got home!”

It was futile to struggle. The sobs escaped as his shoulders trembled. The walls he kept crumbled and where he had once desperately searched for, for what he thought was not obtainable was now in his hand.

He was home.

 

**…**

==Inaho.6==

The next time Inaho woke up, Inaho found himself back in the guest room he had been staying in. The window had been opened, letting a nice breeze and moonlight fall into the room. Night had fallen and the rain had stopped. It had to at least been a day since they went out judging from the person that was leaning on the windowsill and looking outside. In the moonlight, Slaine’s hair seemed mystical -- no he was entirely mystical like a ghost that was miraculously here.

" _The change of clothes fit him better."_ Inaho thought. Slaine no longer wore the pale blue prison garments and instead a pair of denim jeans and a little loose pale blue shirt. It was obvious that Slaine had lost some body mass since his return to Earth.

Before long, the turquoise eyes turned from looking into the distance to Inaho. Slaine smiled, a smile that oddly made Inaho’s heart feel heavy. Guilt was flooding into him and Inaho wasn’t quite sure why. Inaho tried to sit up but it wasn’t before long that Slaine had left the window and unexpectedly helped him up.

“Thanks.” Inaho said.

Once sitting up, Inaho could see two plates were on the nearby table where one had been eaten. Slaine must have brought their dinner and had already gone ahead to eat. It was a good sign to see the ashen blond had done so. On the other plate, there was a jam sandwich and some chips. Slaine retrieved the plate as he informed Inaho what had happened. Inaho could see the other continued to smile although his demeanor became more sullen as he spoke.

“You were lucky once again Kaizuka Inaho. Only a slight concussion and nothing more.”

After acquiring the plate, Inaho immediately took a hold of Slaine’s left wrist. It had a splint.

“That branch… you couldn’t have--”

Slaine smacked his hand from Inaho's grip and winced. A snap could be heard.

“You shouldn't have done that.” Inaho commented.

Slaine cradled his splinted wrist and tried to bend it. He again winced while trying to tell Inaho otherwise but once more Inaho seized the splinted wrist.

Lightly Slaine tried to remove his hand from Inaho's grasp but Inaho retained a light tug. Slaine was not going to get his hand back and looked away.

“I couldn’t necessarily leave you there… and… you… never finished what you were trying to say earlier.” Slaine mumbled. He was trying to change the topic or maybe distract Inaho.

“That's right.” Inaho confirmed and felt around Slaine's hand and wrist, primarily around Slaine's fingers. Inaho noticed Slaine had grit his teeth and the tips of his ears were turning red. _“He's rather sensitive here.”_ Inaho observed.

“W-well?”

“I'm here to make sure you won't lose anything anymore and recover what you have lost.”

Slaine blinked and looked completely dumbfounded.

“Why..? I'm a war criminal. I've… killed...”

“Because...” Inaho started but had tried to look up at Slaine. He was more entranced by Slaine's eyes. They were crystal clear yet illuminated once again in the darkness. There was life in them, something they had lacked for too long.

_Inaho recollected a previous outing he had arranged after pulling some strings to make happen. It was nowhere as extensive as the one they were on now. The outing was simply a stroll at the nearby beach to the prison. He could remember how quiet the walk was after he obviously answered much to Slaine’s disapproval of where they were going and why. However, Inaho knew the walk was worth the trouble. At one point the two had stopped to overlook some flying birds in the distance and although Slaine was definitely pissed, Inaho could tell Slaine appreciated this small gesture. There was light in those lifeless eyes, which seemed determined to be at a dead end and had no need for a future. Even if it was just a small step, Slaine was looking forward to the horizon._

Inaho couldn't find the exact words as the ashen blond had always eluded him, even now. It was clear to Inaho how Slaine resented him for sparing him, for constantly reminding him how more successful Inaho was to care for the princess and to always beat him at every turn. And yet when Slaine could have had his revenge, Slaine went on a limb to bring Inaho back.

Perhaps the closest Inaho could rationalize what this odd feeling was that he wanted to see that smile again he saw the other day -- preferable under better conditions -- and to make those eyes shine once more, brilliant with life. He may not yet understand the conundrums ridiculing from the broadcasts and the strategies the ashen blond had done but Inaho was sure that although their means were different, they both had shared the same goal. They had done everything they could for her.

Slaine chuckled and the turquoise eyes started to return distant. Inaho could already tell what Slaine had concluded for Inaho had remained quiet. _"That's not it at all Bat. You're wrong,"_ Inaho thought with some odd sense of triumph; he voiced, "It’s not for her.”

“Really? Isn't it her request-”

“That's beside the point.”

Slaine backed away although his hand was still firmly in Inaho's hold. Inaho expected that reaction as he had used Slaine's words against him. Even the situation mirrored.

The ashen blond looked down. “Then why?”

Inaho couldn’t verbalize those thoughts. The ashen blond would not believe him, let alone Inaho wasn’t quite sure he could either. After all, Inaho was still getting better from a head cold and he may have been working on this request for a little too long.

Slaine sighed once more and face palmed. “I don’t understand you.”

“I don’t either but I’m at least trying.”

“You!” Slaine hissed and had risen his head. Before long he had looked down to the right, Inaho had suspected this was perhaps a nervous habit Slaine had; Inaho had seen this before multiple times at the prison. Usually, this accompanied with Slaine thinking of something. Thankfully that something was no longer warranting suicidal watch. “You say… recover… the things I’ve lost…”

“Yes.”

Slaine huffed and smirked, bitterly with a tinge of resentment. It had been awhile since he had seen this expression. “In that case, could you tell me…” He hesitated for a moment and bit his lower lip hard. “What became of them?”

Inaho stared at him and Slaine looked up to him, expectantly but the smirk did not fade. Inaho was sure it was Slaine’s implicit way of saying “it’s impossible, isn’t it?”

 

 _"Under normal circumstances, providing information of this caliber should not be allowed or possible. It technically still was,"_ Inaho believed but he had a suspicion he wanted to check out.  _"If my hunch is correct..."_

“All right but for now though, you should rest.” Inaho went, taking on Slaine's request.

“Impossible, isn’t it?” Slaine questioned while getting up from his chair; Inaho had released his hold from his hand.

Inaho offered the tray to Slaine who took it with his right hand. “We’ll see.”

“Hmph.” Slaine headed towards the door but stopped.

“If I fulfill this, will you trust me?”

“Even if I didn’t now, you don’t speak in entire truths. I can already tell you may have something to go around the bureaucracy.”

“I see.”

“But.” Slaine turned and added. “I’ll give you more of a chance…”

Inaho smiled to which Slaine reddened. “That will do.”

_**Slam!** _

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N2:** "That's beside the point" is referencing Inaho and Slaine's encounter on the moonbase and Inaho had asked about Slaine's exploitation of the princess. I'll admit I'm a bit hazy on the exact details of this event so if it's incorrect please correct me QQ I'm getting old.
> 
>  **A/N3:** Inaho's recollection is referencing the canon official artwork that was halfway revealed on Slaine's birthday.
> 
> TYVM for reading QQ


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** I... don't... even... I'm not even going to try to explain what happened but it just kept growing. There were some scenes I wanted to address and viola it exploded to this ridiculous length. 
> 
> **A/N2:** I apologize for my horrible excuse of romantic writing. There are no limes or lemons to be had here... I... chickened out ;; and even if I didn't, I'm inept on such. Could I go back to writing more complicated topics like chain polymerizations or describing Diels-Alder reactions, lol?
> 
> *grovels* I hope you enjoy this.

==Z.0==

The Envoy was arriving any minute now and Inaho could see Slaine had remained apathetic. It had been a week since he asked about his comrades and Inaho had remained silent on the matter.

Inaho and Slaine waited in the dining room as Kirsten made tea in the kitchen. The room was quiet. Uncomfortably quiet yet oddly enough Inaho found Slaine to be more relaxed in this silence than their typical breakfast clamor.

“Maybe it resembled the times he was on Vers.” Inaho thought.

The door creaked open and Yuri was accompanied by someone who leaned on his left arm. Yuri smiled and abnormally remained quiet but Inaho had told him to. Excitement and anticipation filled inaho's heart yet he retained his blank expression. For once Inaho believed this plan would catch Slaine off guard.

The visitor looked nervous and uncertain as Yuri led him into the dining room. Slaine had his back to him.

Little do both know. Inaho thought until he could see slaine's expression. Inaho forgot slaine's excellent hearing. Slaine's expression was confused and speechless yet as the visitor took another step in, Slaine rose and turned to bow politely… or at least he intended to.

Slaine immediately wept when his eyes met the visitor's. The ashen blond foregone the bow and grabbed both of the visitor’s arms without breaking eye contact. His grip trembled and soon Slaine recognized a cane which led him to see why. The visitor’s left leg from below the knee looked different. A prosthetic. Slaine most likely recognized and within moments Slaine knelt to confirm.

 _“Cold. Metallic. Rigid.”_ Slaine inferred and grit his teeth. The silver iron bars that had kept him secluded in the prison, seemed so much less painful than this one keeping the visitor standing.

“Slaine-sama…” The visitor spoke and knelt too, where he seized slaine's trembling hands from his prosthetic. “This is not your fault. It never was. It never will be.”

“Harklight…” Slaine finally addressed. He tightened his grip on Harklight’s hands and sobbed, smiling much to Harklight’s initial surprise. It was the biggest smile Inaho had seen from the ashen blond and one most sincere. Inaho had seen it once before. Slaine was surely relieved. “I'm… so… glad you survived.”

Slaine's voice weakened as he tried to continue and say how he lost sight of him in that final battle and thought the worst. Harklight listened politely although Slaine's words were becoming more convoluted with his sniffles and sobs.

Kirsten arrived with tea and had an arm propped on her waist. She huffed at the sight and smiled. She teased, “Did someone propose to my son? As there should not be any other reason to be on your knees.”

Harklight blushed and looked to the woman before looking back to Slaine. He tried to retain his composure; Harklight had let go of one of Slaine's hands and retrieved his cane. “N-no but we do have much to discuss.”

Slaine stood up and helped Harklight up with Yuri’s assistance.

“Yes, we do.” Slaine agreed and moved back to the table and wiped the tears off his face with his forearm.

 

**…**

Since the war, Harklight had been imprisoned on Earth but was released a year before. He had been given a task by the empress to oversee Slaine’s safety as Kaizuka Inaho’s support. Originally, Slaine was to not know of Harklight yet Kaizuka Inaho had pulled some strings. The brunette had made Harklight the envoy for the two-month check and also as a means for them to be reunited. Kaizuka had reasoned to the higher-ups how it was cost-efficient and would improve Slaine’s deteriorated health. Both were true points as the envoy they had in mind was still preoccupied in the reconstruction of the Moonbase and due to Slaine’s request.

However the nature of what Slaine requested was not something he could easily discuss with Inaho, Yuri and Kirsten present. This was easily handled when Inaho suggested the two to take the conversation to the cottage as seeing what Slaine had to work with would better emphasize what needed to be done. Also, Harklight may have additional insight on the matter.

The two were thankful and during their walk, Harklight provided the information Slaine wanted to know. Neither had to specify. Like a roll call, Slaine stated a name of a soldier and Harklight answered with what he knew. Oddly enough, Slaine never asked about her but like a loyal servant, Harklight did not ask. By the time they reached the cottage, the two had changed gears and time flew.

 

**...**

==Slaine.4==

Continuously a thought came to him, asking if this was a dream. Was he crying? Why did he sound… so weird? His chest had been unnaturally heavy and ready to burst. He had to remain steadfast. Work had to be done for it was the work that kept him here, kept him in this dream-like reality.

“So… beautiful. It’s like home.” Harklight mumbled and Slaine turned back to see his former loyal servant, staring to the horizon.

The sun was setting and it was more pronounced than usual. The bloody red, the fiery orange and the piercing yellow seeped through the blue sky. Slaine grit his teeth and tried to shake off the thought. It was beautiful as Harklight said and the colors greatly resembled the red planet Slaine had once lived on many years ago.

Harklight blinked and turned to Slaine, bowing out of old habit. “I’m sorry Milord. We should head back before it gets dark.”

Slaine shook his head and smiled. Harklight’s eyes still shone with brilliance, wonder and amazement. It warmed Slaine’s heart that they had this opportunity.

Was this a dream? Were they really walking on Earth, free and without weapons? Was this no delusion?

“Think nothing of it Harklight. We have the time now… we should…” Slaine tried to say yet again he found his voice escaping him.

Harklight’s expression softened and there was a tinge of worry. Slaine tried to recover his composure but it was a lost cause. Harklight walked up to him and with his available hand, he placed it on Slaine’s shoulder.

“Allow me to say this, Milord.” Harklight went.

Slaine nodded yet couldn’t bring himself to look at Harklight. He knew he had to though.

It was like that day again. The stern, determined look. His loyal servant. His confidant.

 _“I made peace with death long ago.”_ That was the most memorable of the last few words Slaine had heard from Harklight.

If there was one person who could judge him that was not Inaho, it was Harklight. Even through the lies, Slaine knew Harklight knew him best and what he was capable of, what he could have been capable of. It was only because of Harklight’s unyielding loyalty that prevented him from questioning his lord back then or perhaps he wholeheartedly believed what Slaine did was for the best.

He felt a knot in his throat and for comfort, Slaine grasped for his amulet. Harklight was about to speak. _“Let justice be done,”_ Slaine prayed as he waited for the judgement he long sought.

“Don’t belittle our efforts, Slaine.” Harklight declared firmly and was dead serious. He had dropped the formality Slaine had tried desperately upon a time to discard.

Slaine remained silent for there was nothing more he could do or so. He desperately needed to hear Harklight out as Harklight was among the many, if not the prominent and most frequent, phantom in those rigid dreams Slaine had when he couldn’t fight sleep no longer.

“We fought for what we believed in. You gave us a voice. You gave us a chance. You gave us so much, Lord Slaine. If you think dying would have done us justice, would have given us honor… you are wrong. You… are… wrong.” Harklight had continued but his voice trailed off. He was crumbling too.

His lord tried to comfort him yet Harklight shook his head; he still had more to say. “Even now you still care for a planet that is not your home. And on a planet that--”

“It-it is.” Slaine struggled to counter. _“It’s...h…”_ He couldn’t utter the last word even in his mind. Harklight knew what he meant and also could see Slaine was up to an old, despicable habit. Slaine was trying to convince him otherwise. However Harklight let it slide for it was towards something better and what he had hoped for his master.

“Is that so?” Harklight rhetorically tried to confirm but continued to let it go. “Please Milord. For their sakes, live. Live and seize your own spoils of war.”

Slaine chuckled and wiped an escaping tear; he could no longer look at Harklight. “The victors take the spoils of war. Have you forgotten?”

Harklight had looked past Slaine’s shoulder and could see a familiar lone red eye. “We may have lost the war but we had won our share of battles, even if they’re personal ones.”

Slaine became listless as he started to grasp what Harklight had meant and with his hearing, he could hear a familiar set of footsteps coming from behind. Inaho had come by to check on them.

“You two were taking longer than normal.” Inaho said while leaning to his side, implicitly beckoning them to come.

“The fault lies with me.” Harklight responded and withdrew his hand, walking towards Inaho.

The ashen blond watched the two walk forward. This was not a dream. Inaho was here and true to his word.

 

**…**

==Inaho.6==

A few weeks passed and the results of the envoy’s visit had finally trickled down from the higher-ups to Inaho. Inaho glanced one more time at the order before turning off his tablet and got up from his bed. He left his tablet on an unfinished countertop of his room and opened the door. Looking downstairs, the workshop had abnormally been more quiet than usual. It was to be expected considering what happened the other day.

Slaine had broken down when the two had lost track of time talking indoors, trying to make sense one of Dr. Troyard’s theoretical explanation of the Aldnoah Engine’s mechanism.

_The propeller commission Yuri and Kirsten were working on had concluded that day thankfully but the damage had been done. The rough start of the propeller’s spin had smoothened out and they let it run for at least an hour. Inaho had noticed Slaine had tensed -- all the signs of him tolerating something he obviously wasn’t entirely comfortable with. He had considered taking the conversation outside but Slaine would not let him, Slaine was entirely sucked into his father’s work and desperately wanted to make sense of it. This was one time Inaho wished he had not indulged the ashen blond._

_It was unexpected when it happened as Slaine tried to keep talking but had fallen silent, slowly coming to a standstill and his eyes were unfocused. The chalk he had used to sketch and scribble on the mounted chalkboard fell from his hands._

_“Troyard?” Inaho had wondered and was caught off guard._

_Slaine was trying to retain his composure yet he was faltering and slipping down a steep, slippery slope. The ashen blond fell to his knees and hugged his sides._

_“Troyard what’s wrong?” Inaho asked and tried to see where Slaine was hurting. He was not grasping for his amulet._

_“What’s going on?” Kirsten asked, now seeing something amiss behind her._

_“Turn off the propeller.” Inaho demanded. Yuri promptly did so and the two mechanics approached._

_Kirsten knelt to her son who was breathing deeply and slowly. He was trying to calm himself down. Inaho backed away but the ashen blond grasped his left hand. The brunette looked up. “Shouldn’t I leave you be?” Inaho implicitly asked. Slaine shook his head as he opened his eyes._

_Kirsten gently grasped Slaine’s hands and noted where they were. “The scars…” She mumbled and asked Slaine, “they’re hurting, aren’t they?”_

_Slaine grimaced yet didn’t answer._

_Inaho had reasoned them to be the result of whipping and as Slaine’s mother comforted her son with her words and presence, it became apparent that they weren’t simply a product of torture. Kirsten had stopped asking questions due to Slaine’s lack of a response. Whatever event led to these scars, Slaine had been interrogated and he had refused to talk._

_“It was for the princess,” Inaho concluded. Even after all that has happened, Slaine still bore this burden with grace. They were perhaps the one thing Slaine felt he did right for the empress. They may be hard on the eyes but they were his testament of his unquestionable loyalty to the empress._

Inaho stretched and finally walked to the main house, where inside Slaine had for the most part returned to his old self. His annoyed tone could be heard outside the door.

“Mom. I’m fine now so there’s no need to--” Slaine went.

“I’ve watered your plants and everything there is in order. You should rest for another few days.” Kirsten informed.

“Morning,” Inaho said as he closed the door behind him.

Slaine looked to him but went back to talking to his mother, who kept her back to Inaho. “Fine. Then unlock the study--”

“No!” Kirsten exclaimed and it was very visible how upset Kirsten was. Her shoulders were trembling. “What part of ‘rest for another few days’ do you not understand?”

Her son averted his eyes. He was at a loss of words due to his mother’s expression.

“In that case, can we go into town?” Inaho asked, much to the two’s surprise.

“...Sure?” Kirsten allowed although not quite sure why Inaho had thought that.

 

**…**

Within the following two hours, Inaho and Slaine had gotten into Inaho’s rental car and driven into the nearest town. Slaine pressed the knitted cap ever downward on his head and brought up the scarf as much as he could.

“I thought you said you were hot,” Inaho commented when parking the car.

“Y-yes but--” Slaine attempted to counter yet he fell silent. Inaho had closed the car door behind him and like when they first arrived here, Inaho was telling him to come out of the car.

Cautiously, Slaine left the car and looked around, surveying the area. It was nothing beyond the normal. A parking lot with civilians. No, tourists and locals minding their own business.

Inaho walked over and took Slaine’s hand. Slaine looked down when feeling an unexpected weight and unexpected texture fall into his grasp.

“This is…”

“If you are that worried, you can use this. I’ll assume you have not forgotten how.” Inaho informed.

Inaho had given Slaine the necklace the empress had entrusted him so long ago. Slaine could tell it had been properly taken care of. No sign of dirt could be found anywhere. Immaculate as expected by the brunette.

The brunette started walking towards the shopping complex but Slaine exclaimed. “I-I can’t keep this! Her High--... A-Asseylum…”

Slaine wasn’t sure how to address, let alone speak in this area. Inaho returned to the ashen blond and reassured him, rolling Slaine’s fingers around the necklace.

Slaine had mumbled in a lowered voice. “She surely entrusted this to you. I can’t…”

“We’ve gone our separate ways.”

The ashen blond looked up from their hands and was confused. A baffled expression replaced the confusion. “Of course, she’s married.” Slaine reminded.

Inaho shook his head. Deep down at one point he had recognized the empress his other half and would do anything for her. This last request was an example of that but.

Somewhere down this road, Inaho no longer felt any weight in her words from back then and the last time he had seen her, there was no feeling left beyond being acquaintances, allies in this diabolical plan.

Did she also feel the way he did now when looking to Slaine’s eyes? The turquoise eyes that resembled the Terran sky and seas? Was that how she embraced the dream Slaine imparted to her?

Inaho had long fallen for Slaine’s eyes; they were enchanting somehow. They were filled with longing for something Slaine had long convinced himself, he was unworthy and undeserving of whatever that something was. Just continuously looking at them, Inaho couldn’t help but feel like reaching out for something he wasn’t certain was really there or obtainable.

He looked away and gripped Slaine’s hand, pulling him along. Slaine was alive and within his grasp -- a grasp that remained secured even now. Perhaps Slaine understood thought as Slaine let Inaho keep his hand. Before long, they arrived to the store Inaho had in mind.

 

…

Within an hour, the two left the store and Inaho was busying himself with their purchase. Slaine had loosened his scarf and finally found a bench to sit down. Inaho had walked off a little ways before recognizing the ashen blond was no longer trailing behind him. The two remained silent and after a few more button pressing, Inaho closed the two items in his hands and looked to Slaine. Slaine had blankly looked ahead and watched passersby walk down the sidewalk before them and across the street. Or perhaps he was looking somewhere not here. Inaho couldn’t really decipher but knew now he could get his attention.

“Here.” Inaho offered and Slaine removed a hand from his navy blue jacket. Slaine looked at the item, which befuddled him.

“A phone?” Slaine asked, stating the obvious. He then flipped it open; it was a rather old model and considered a flip phone. The phone was cristine white and already the ashen blond found the contact list where Inaho had already made his own contact entry. “You’re leaving, aren’t you?”

Inaho nodded and looked forward. Something caught his eye but he held back as Slaine took the words from his mouth.

“I figured with the Envoy’s visit, your duty here would conclude if the findings were ideal. And anyway…” Slaine trailed off as he edited the contact entry. He was changing Inaho’s name. ‘Egg Obsessed.’ “Your family must be wondering where you’ve been.”

“I’ve kept in touch with my sister but yes. She is wondering when I’ll come back.”

“Didn’t tell her two months?”

“I can never be sure with you.”

“... I see but rest assured Kaizuka Inaho, my mother--”

“Your mother could arguably ignite the Third Interplanetary War and I’m not quite sure I could win against her.”

Slaine laughed and snickered. “And you’re saying you could with me?”

“Considering my 97 wins against you, I think my probability of success against you is astronomically higher.”

“I’ve never seen you play chess with Mom-- anyway that’s besides the point. You should head home.”

“Wasn’t it the other day you wouldn’t let me go?” Inaho smiled as the longer he looked, he found the perfect items.

Slaine blushed. “It’s also your fault.” Slaine mumbled under his breath.

Abruptly, Inaho stood up. “I’ll be right back.”

“Huh? Wait. Where are you going?’ Slaine sat up, no longer leaning on the bench but once again leaned on the bench. Inaho had stormed off across the street and was lost in the crowd.

Slaine sighed and waited. A few moments later, Inaho returned and he caught his breath before reaching out to Slaine. “Your phone please.”

He complied and Inaho attached something to the phone -- something that immediately annoyed Slaine. “I demand you remove that this instance.”

Inaho pulled out the other phone and attached another thing that warranted a response from Slaine. Slaine again reddened yet now face palmed. Obediently, Slaine offered his hand where Inaho returned his phone. Inaho had attached a cell phone strap with an orange to Slaine’s phone and to the matching yet black phone -- surely Inaho’s -- a bat.

“I’ll be visiting to check on you from time to time and if you need me, you can always contact me here.” Inaho said and knelt, looking to Slaine’s face that remained hidden behind Slaine’s hand.

A turquoise eye peeked from between his fingers. Inaho smiled as Slaine withdrew his hand and sighed. The ashen blond was not adamant in removing the cell phone strap and instead continued what he said before. “Don’t trouble yourself with that… Family’s important… You’ve taught me that.”

Inaho shook his head. “No. Your mother did though.”

“She’s… unique, isn’t she?”

Inaho returned to his spot on the bench. “Mhmm. You take after her. A primary example of human genetics that there are some behaviorism passed down.”

“Orange…” Slaine narrowed his eyes and looked back to Inaho.

The brunette turned to him and that smile was still there. Slaine blushed once again; he wasn’t sure what had happened to Inaho. Where was that blank expression? “That was a compliment.”

“I think otherwise…”

“I’ll ask my sister if our mother was like that.”

“Ask..? Your mother-- I…”

“I never got the chance to know her but I imagine she is similar to my sister.”

“Even so, my condolences.”

The two had fallen silent and before long, the streetlights were starting to turn on. Inaho got up and offered a hand to Slaine.

“We should head back.”

“Right.” Slaine took Inaho’s offered hand and the two made their way back to the parking lot. “Getting too cold for you, Orange?”

“No. Rather I’d like to get home in one piece.”

Slaine chuckled as he realized Inaho had a more dangerous enemy in mind.

 

...

**Two years later:**

==Inaho.7==

_**Tap. Tap. Tap.** _

Inaho closed his phone and place it into his jacket pocket. “That should do it.” Inaho thought as he picked up his luggage.

“Hmm… I understand that going international means you had to change your phone but after two years, I’d think you’d have upgraded to something more up-to-date.” His sister commented when closing the trunk.

“I’m helping someone use a phone and it was more efficient to use the same brand.” Inaho explained.

“Someone? Flip phones haven’t been used in almost a decade!” Yuki pointed out while they crossed the road and towards the airport.

“Bat hasn’t been on Earth in a long time.”

“Bat?” Yuki questioned and then she smiled, ever so giddy. Yuki elbowed her brother when he was checking in his luggage. “Who’s Bat? Who is the lucky lass?”

Inaho remain silent as they squeezed their way into an escalator.

“Come on! Even a description!” Yuki pressed.

For a moment, Inaho debated how to do this. It was clear his sister was misunderstanding something rather critical from her standpoint. From his however, it made no difference.

“European. Ashen blond. Turquoise eyes.”

Yuki clapped and a giddy laugh escaped her lips. “She sounds like she resembles the princess! If I’d known that was your taste Nao-kun, I’d have kept a better search--”

“No need.”

“Ohhhh.” Yuki gasped and a rather mischievous, cat-like grin formed on her face, “so how long have you two been together?”

Inaho looked up to gate numbers. Two more to go.

“Almost two years.”

“Scandalous! I thought this entire time you were being sent because of work! And this transfer--”

“Yuki-ne, I need to board the plane but yes, I requested the transfer for him.”

The brunette brusquely gave his ticket to the attendant and walked to the last stretch to the plane. It was pointless to scurry though. He could still hear his sister even from this distance.

“Dawwwww my little brother has found-- wait… Him? HIM? NAO WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?”

 

**…**

Once situated on the plane, Inaho pulled out his phone and as expected, there was no reply to the text.

 _“He chances are will still miss seeing this.”_ Inaho predicted and covered his mouth, hiding a small smile.

 

**…**

==Slaine.5==

“Slaine, don’t jump directly--” Kirsten had exclaimed while turning to her son and the prototype plane she has been working on.

Slaine had jumped off the prototype plane’s right wing but slowed his descend onto the ground by maintaining his grip on the wing’s edge.

“I know… this time.” Slaine reassured and rubbed his forehead with his left forearm, smearing grease all over his forehead. He was completely oblivious.

Kirsten chuckled and got a handkerchief to wipe off the smeared grease. “Dufus. You should have unrolled your sleeves or wore one of the suits.”

Her son took the handkerchief and rubbed the grease off his arm. “Can’t necessarily do so when my mother is about to electrocute herself. And also Mom, I’ve done repairs and maintenance before, let me help out.”

The two started walking out of the workshop.

“I’d assume you would wanted to prepare for the Envoy that is due today.”

“I can’t rush nature anymore than I have and if I’m doing the ridiculous side project Yuri pressured me to do, then I have a bit too much time on… my… hands…” Slaine went before slowing down to a stop. He narrowed his eyes as the person leaning against the doorframe of the workshop’s door, had a rather smug expression.

“Yuri.” Slaine said with a suspicion the mechanic was about to give him some trouble, playfully of course.

“Uh-huh, giving me shiite Chibi Kirsten.” Yuri commented and stood up but retained the smug expression. “And you know you’re rather proud of that homemade alcohol you’ve been brewing.”

“Ch-chibi?!” Slaine repeated in disbelief and he facepalmed. “More like you are.”

Yuri nodded, perhaps too happily for his own good as he reminiscenced. “Ah yes that second batch you made was smooth. It was so smooth that while you were tasting it, you thought you messed up and after a few more sips, you were wasted and then Inaho had to--”

Kirsten chuckled as her son became more frustrated that his shoulders were trembling. Before long however, Slaine smiled and Yuri’s smug expression instantly disappeared. Mother like son.

“So… uh… Slaine… I thought you said Martians were uptight about hygiene and uniform.”

“Yes..?” Slaine answered while a bit unsure why Yuri would bring that up.

“And you’re covered in grease and oil now. Inaho said the Envoy will be here about lunchtime and even told me to get some fancy dingy tea--”

Slaine’s face paled and he frantically panicked at his appearance. “N-no. I don’t recall hearing this!”

Kirsten laughed as Slaine with great futile tried to tidy up an obvious lost cause of what he was wearing. “I did say you had something going on today. Didn’t he tell you via text?”

“Now that you mention it Kirsten, I haven’t heard any bizarre ringtones…” Yuri noticed.

Slaine had turned away from the two who were now weakly looking over his shoulder. Slaine had pulled out a black flip phone that was identical to Inaho’s. The phone also had a cell phone strap of an orange. Clearly, Slaine didn’t have much of a choice on the phone considering it was Slaine’s way to be somewhat more independent and less on a leash to the brunette.

A loud slap could be heard as Slaine facepalmed when he had finished scrolling through his text messages.

**“Egg Obsessed ” [5:55AM JST]: Envoy Enroute. ETA: 12PM. -Kaizuka Inaho**

“That… Orange...” Slaine mumbled while thinking, _“if I end up being sent back, I swear the last thing I’ll do…”_

Outside, a military jeep had stopped and the driver had walked out.

“Ah looks like they’re here,” Kirsten informed as Yuri waved and went to meet the military folks.

Slaine looked up and gulped, seeing the familiar Vers servant attire. _“I’m doomed.”_

Or so he thought… A familiar handmaiden had walked out of the passenger’s side of the car and went to open another car door. A pink-haired woman walked out of the car. On her own two feet, Princess Lemrina stood and walked forward with some assistance from Eddelrittuo. Princess Lemrina no longer wore the white dress and instead now the familiar burgundy uniform.

“Please to meet your acquaintance. Allow me to introduce to you, Countess Envers. She is the Empress’s representative regarding the Aldnoah Agriculture project you’re overseeing, Former Count.” Eddelrittuo announced.

Slaine bowed, completely forgetting his ridiculous appearance and now focusing his efforts to retain his composure and fight back the tears. They all were.

“It’s nice to see you… If I may say this once more though,” Slaine went and looked up. He smiled with tears on the verge of falling. “It’s nice to see you well, Princess Lemrina.”

The countess walked forward, no longer with Eddelrittuo’s assistance and took Slaine’s hand that had grasped for the amulet. Lemrina smiled. “I am too.”

 

**…**

==Z.1==

Like the previous envoy meeting, Slaine and the Envoy went to the garden house where Slaine showed his progress on the project. Unfortunately, something had distracted them -- music in a foreign language.

_“Why do birds, suddenly appear.”_

“English?” Lemrina thought while looking around the garden house.

_“Every time you’re near.”_

“Er- Yuri… the mechanic that works with my mother, must have left his music player somewhere here.” Slaine tried to reason while a trumpet started to play.

Lemrina chuckled seeing Slaine fidgeting and embarrassed, while trying to find the music player. After the trumpet played, the music stopped and the garden house became silent.

“... I guess I can find it later?” Slaine pondered, still searching around.

_“Just like me, they long to be…”_

“For the love of God.” Slaine fumed as the music resumed and this time Slaine hastily went to the backroom of the workshop but was stopped. Lemrina had grabbed his arm.

_“Close to you…”_

“I think… I found the music player.” Lemrina said and pointed to Slaine’s back pocket.

“...Oh…” Slaine went and turned around, facing Lemrina as he retrieved the phone.

Blaring from screen, the caller ID had a picture of Kaizuka giving a peace sign and labelled “Egg Obsessed.”

“I apologize, Princess, but I need to take this.” Slaine politely smiled when looking away from the phone momentarily.

Lemrina’s eyebrow had risen and she nodded, allowing Slaine to excuse himself. She released her hand from Slaine’s arm while the ashen blond walked off towards the far window. Even at that distance however, Slaine’s voice carried when he answered the phone.

“ORANGE WHY DID YOU CHANGE THE RINGTONE AGAIN?”

“By now the Envoy would arrive and I determined the best chance to ensure you answered my phone call, was to do this.” Inaho reasoned on the phone; he was going through security at the International airport.

“With… a corny…ringtone?” Slaine stuttered and mumbled. He had facepalmed once again.

Lemrina covered her mouth as she chuckled. Looking at Slaine’s reflection, the princess could see he was long red as a tomato, especially at the tip of his ears. Slaine clearly was having fun with whoever he was talking to on the phone. The princess turned around and tried to distract herself with one of the nearby plants for Slaine had turned around, he had started to pace while on the phone.

 _“Orange roses?_ ” Lemrina wondered and knelt to the flowers.

“You’re already back here?” Slaine had said on the phone and he sighed. “Well. Due to your ‘thoughtfulness’--”

“Read the timestamp Bat. I sent that before I got on the plane. I notified you with apt time to spare.” Inaho had interjected.

“Regardless. Mom- My mother will have to pick you up.”

“No. I’ll wait if I have to.”

Slaine grinned as he knew there was some retribution to be had. “Even in the cold?”

“Even in the cold.”

“Ah, is my son being a bad host? I apologize if the standards here on Earth are rather lax.” Kirsten addressed Lemrina; Kirsten had entered the garden house.

“No, not at all. It seemed like a rather important phone call.” Lemrina informed and she stood up.

Kirsten had looked to her son who caught sight of her. Playfully, Kirsten gave the uncomfortable smile and showed her car keys. Slaine gave a thumbs up and his grin only grew.

 _“A genuine smile…”_ Lemrina noted and felt a smile appear on her face.

“I think you have no choice Kaizuka Inaho.” Slaine continued on the phone and saw his mother had driven her pickup truck onto the dirt path outside.

“...” Inaho had stopped near the exit of the airport and remained silent. He could hear the wind howl and furthermore, the wind was a bit strong as his cell phone strap rang. It was still the bat. His probability of surviving was dwindling by the minute.

Slaine coughed and returned to Lemrina. “Anyhow Kaizuka Inaho, I need to continue my report to the Envoy if you want to still have a shot of seeing me still here. So I’m going to--”

“Wait.”

“What?”

“Do you trust me now?”

This time Slaine had fallen silent and for a moment, Lemrina could see his expression had become listless. He was still a bit red.

“Is something wrong, Slaine?” Lemrina asked.

She startled Slaine who had momentarily zoned out. He promptly shook his head.

“N-no, not at all Princess Lemrina.” Slaine replied to Lemrina although he was still on the phone.

Inaho smiled and walked outside. “I take that as a yes, Slaine Troyard.”

“H-hey. Wait a second--”

Dial tone.

“Orange?”

Silence.

Slaine groaned and put his phone away. Inaho had hanged up.

“Sorry, did I--” Lemrina pondered with a worried face. _“Did I disrupt his conversation?”_

“No. It’s all Orange’s fault. Now, where were we, Countess Envers?”

 

**…**

==A.Z==

The following day, the envoy had parted in the morning and after settling in, the four were relaxing in the workshop. Primarily they were celebrating the good news. Inaho had confirmed Slaine’s current arrangements were to remain the same until further notice and much to Slaine’s dismay, Inaho had transferred to the European branch.

Unfortunately for Inaho and Slaine, the celebration had warped into an endless drinking spree where Slaine’s homemade wine was being drank too fast for comfort. Unlike most wine, Slaine’s homemade wine packed a punch and could easily knock out the most tolerant of drunkards. To make matters worse, Yuri and Inaho had initially raced to see how could drink seven glasses first. Typically the brunette would refuse but today he had made an exception.

“Haha! Now the old group is back together!” Yuri boasted and crushed his beer can. “And for longer too!” The mechanic added.

Kirsten agreed and crossed her legs as she sat on a stepping stool. Slaine and Inaho were sitting on a long wooden crate, which had once held a component. Inaho shivered momentarily, hugging himself to stay warm.

“To think the Hero of the Second Interplanetary War is vulnerable to the cold.” Slaine said in a baffled voice. The ashen blond stood up and retrieved a burgundy blanket from a nearby cabinet. He promptly went to Inaho and wrapped the blanket over Inaho, who took this opportunity to wrap his arms around Slaine’s waist.

Yuri whistled much to Slaine’s displeasure. “Look at that Asian glow! Never thought Inaho would have one.”

“Of course he’d have one, Yuri. However I see your point,” Kirsten commented. She was amused to see Inaho had not watched his alcohol intake.

“Orange…” Slaine sighed. With his hands, Slaine held onto Inaho’s arms and was implying for the brunette to remove himself but he had other ideas.

Inaho nestled his head and had closed his eye. His embrace tightened, which Slaine was blushing to perhaps in disbelief. “Warm…”

“Un… believable…” Slaine groaned as he covered his face but caught sight of the wine glass falling from Inaho’s lap. Brusquely, Slaine went for the glass, saving it from shattering yet resulted in Slaine having Inaho’s face nestling on the corner of his neck. Slaine’s ears were bright red.

“Get a room you two! Haha!” Yuri went, playfully teasing the two.

“I swear to god I’m never making another bottle of wine for you.” Slaine declared and glared at Yuri before turning back to Inaho. “Kaizuka Inaho. I’m only going--”

“So… loud…” Inaho commented and before Slaine could say another word, Inaho had sealed the ashen blond’s lips with his. Slaine became still in shock with his hands frozen in the air; he had intended to push Inaho away… he was clearly too late however.

Kirsten coughed and smiled dangerously, “I think Japanese boy has had a little too much to drink, don’t you?”

“Ye-yes, I’ll--” Yuri obediently put down his wineglass and went to the two but Slaine had recovered his composure.

“Don’t worry Yuri. I got this,” Slaine said with a sigh.

Yuri was taken aback. The two usually bickered and Slaine would normally leave Inaho left to dry unless his life was in dire danger. However, Slaine genuinely was picking up the brunette; Slaine had put an arm under Inaho’s legs and his other behind Inaho’s back while Inaho had changed his embrace to around Slaine’s neck.

“S-should I get a picture of this?” Yuri cautiously joked.

Slaine glared and had stood up with the brunette in his arms. “I’ll put him in bed and be right down. I’d highly suggest against drinking anymore of the homebrewed wine, Yuri. And I don’t have to say the same to you as well, right Mom?”

Kirsten grinned and lightly waved her recently refilled wineglass. Her face was somewhat flush. “Yes, yes dear. This will be my last one. Now go put him to bed… quickly so we can close up shop.”

Her son nodded and cautiously walked up the staircase leading to the upper level of the workshop.

 

**…**

==Slaine.6==

With some difficulty, Slaine managed to turn the doorknob and enter Inaho’s room. It was more accurately a flat though. Over the course of two years, Inaho had modified and added more to the room -- particular a kitchen.

 _“Immaculate as always,”_ Slaine noted when glancing over the sink and counter top. There was no dishes out to dry besides a mug that was typically left next to the coffee machine.

Slaine kept walking straight into the room where in the back of the room, he reached the window that overlooked the courtyard Next to the window was Inaho’s bed.

“Finally,” Slaine said with relief and rested the brunette onto the bed.

He pulled the blanket from under Inaho and tucked in Inaho. For a moment, Slaine sat next to the brunette and caught his breath. “You know Orange…” Slaine went and leaned back onto his hands, “even after all these years, you’re still too heavy.”

The ashen blond chuckled when Inaho merely snored quietly and Slaine went to stand up but paused to touch his lips. He shook his head for a moment, trying to shake away the mental count he had subconsciously did. It was futile when he had gone to Inaho’s kitchen and retrieved a glass of water for Inaho.

 _“He’s either the second or third to do that, now that I think about it,”_ Slaine thought and sighed once again when placing the glass on the nearby nightstand.

Slaine sat down on the bed again and looked to see Inaho was still peacefully sleeping. There was nothing more to be done here, Slaine had determined when surveying the room. While he was turning off the sink, Slaine recall hearing the sound of the workshop garage gate being closed shut. He no longer could hear his mother and Yuri clamoring downstairs. The two were the last ones in the workshop.

There was only the sound of Inaho’s old alarm clock ticking in the background.

 _“The first is debatable but… it was enough to give me some semblance of activation rights,”_ Slaine thought. He was recollecting the princess he had long tried to serve and failed, the princess that had grown into an Empress fighting a battle he could no longer aide in.

 _“And the second…”_ Slaine continued and recollected ‘Countess Envers.’ The kiss was achieved with deceiving yet truthful words. Although unexpected, the kiss had its purpose. Again the activation rights.

The princess he had used, had also grown into a strong representative of the lower class and underprivileged. As if the wheelchair was the epitome of her chains, Lemrina had stood on her own two feet and seized everything she could, everything her birthright addressed her. The good, the bad. She cursed her bloodline yet had come to terms with its utility and how she could achieve the dream she believed he once held.

He had no dreams. He had no need for the future. Like an old habit from prison, Slaine procrastinated to sleep. What dreams he had were nothing but reiterations of his failures and visits from people that he had disappointed or sent to their death. Rhetorically they ask him why he did such things and why he kept living.

Slaine bit his lip and closed his eyes, withdrawing. _“I know I have no right. I should not be alive. I don’t deserve this.”_

His momentarily calmed down as he recalled Harklight’s words. They served like a mantra to him now, a constant reminder that he no longer could wish for a thing. Dying was not what they wanted. The ghosts, the nightmares were now entirely only his own ego tormenting him.

“...Slaine?” A groggy voice asked.

The ashen blond opened his eyes and politely smiled, out of old habit he hid his pain. “Yes, drunkard?”

Inaho turned to his side to better see Slaine but groaned, turning to the pillow. The brunette clearly overdrank. Slaine reached for the blanket that had slipped down off Inaho’s shoulder, once more he adjusted the blanket over Inaho.

“You don’t look like you’ll hurl. I’ve placed some water here if you needed it.” Slaine informed.

The red eye cracked open. Slaine’s heart grew heavy as it felt like it was peering into him.

 _“Not tonight, Orange. Not now at least.”_ Slaine hoped although deep down he knew it was futile.

He was no longer as strong as he once was. The last two years had taken its toll on Slaine but in a good way. There was no one wanting to harm him. There was no need to be apprehensive or distrust. Even if Slaine was, his mother reminded him that he didn’t have to worry and he could take his time. Yuri also treated him like a younger brother and watched his back whenever they went out shopping in town; it was as if Yuri was making sure no one really recognized Slaine and tried to hurt him. How similar Yuri was to Harklight, Slaine always found him thinking.

Slaine’s eyes water a little from the mere thought of Harklight. His loyal servant remained true and loyal to him behind the scenes. Even now, Harklight ensured Slaine would be able to work in peace and have everything he needed if Inaho had failed. Harklight still vowed to serve his master and see to it that their era would be realized -- of course in a more peaceful manner.

“What’s wrong?” Inaho asked and had managed to sit up.

Slaine blinked and refocused on Inaho; he must have spaced out.

“Nothing.” Slaine answered and looked downcast with a weak smile. He knew he was not being good and that the brunette was familiar with this habit of his. He couldn’t help it.

Inaho got closer and Slaine grimaced when Inaho was barely an inch away from his face. Slaine would not allow him a chance again. “Not again, Kaizuka Inaho.”

“That was not my intention,” Inaho countered and reached for Slaine’s right eye. With the back of his index finger, Inaho wiped a tear.

“S-so you remember?” Slaine asked with a slightly annoyed tone. He tried to ignore the fact he was tearing. A part of him regretted not leaving immediately after placing the glass of water and yet at the same time, a part of him didn’t want to leave, even now.

Inaho’s hand withdrew and for once, the brunette was quiet but not because of trying to read Slaine or plan something. Slaine blinked as he could now see Inaho was slightly red. Was the Asian glow that long lasting?

“... Are you opposed with me being here?” Inaho asked, avoiding Slaine’s question. Judging from Inaho’s reaction, Slaine figured Inaho did remember and just let it slide.

Slaine looked to the door. He felt his shoulders had slumped. “No…” Slaine answered with his voice trailing off. The door seemed so far away now for some reason. He should leave.

He could feel Inaho’s stare on him and so he asked, knowing full well he was falling into his nasty habit again. “Why though?”

The brunette remained quiet yet Slaine knew he was still looking at him. Slaine returned the stare although he knew his eyes were barely cooperating with him; they had watered and his sight was becoming blurry yet he refused to cry. He should have left.

“You know why.” Inaho finally spoke and this time Slaine’s guard was down; Inaho had reached for Slaine’s shoulders and forced him to lie down.

Slaine grimaced but relented, covering his face with his left forearm.

“Now Slaine, what’s wrong?”

“What was that for?” Slaine asked, also avoiding a question. He knew he was asking this late yet he needed to buy time. He needed to delay… He needed to…

He grit his teeth as he felt a sob climb up his throat. The back of his forearm was becoming wet and his eyes felt warm. Slaine could hear Inaho sigh and then the covers shuffled with Inaho readjusting his position. Inaho sat next to Slaine and tried to remove Slaine’s forearm. Slaine resisted with his other arm, which Inaho quickly seized.

“Let go.” Slaine tried to yell but his voice came out weaker.

“No.” Inaho calmly refused and with a little more struggle, Inaho pinned both of Slaine’s arms to either side of Slaine’s face and entwined their hands. The ashen blond was crying.

“Slaine.” Inaho chimed his name in Slaine could have sworn was said more emotionally, more warmly than before. Slaine debated if it was the alcohol yet he found himself becoming lost in Inaho’s determined gaze upon. The brunette’s eye portrayed some sort of longing and the longer Slaine stared into the red abyss, he wondered what Inaho was looking for or what he was thinking. His mind came to an answer but he immediately denied its possibility; it was impossible after all.

Slaine had no more defenses and the last of them had eroded away with the envoy’s departure. He was here to stay. He would not return to the prison. His mother would make certain of that. Inaho of course would. That was why perhaps Inaho kept coming back when he no longer had to stand guard like the first two months, and now why Inaho transferred to permanently be here.

No that wasn’t the entire truth.

“Slaine.” The brunette again addressed.

“Am I really...” Slaine began to ask and turned to see their hands were still entwined.

“Yes you’re allowed.” Inaho finished Slaine’s question and simultaneously answered.

Slaine bit his lower lip and let out a ragged breath. He still looked away but Inaho could not necessarily tell if it was still at their hands or at some uninteresting point in the distance.

Inaho released one of their hands and rested his hand on Slaine’s cheek. The turquoise eyes had turned to look at Inaho and they looked directly at him.

Looking into them, Inaho felt like time came to a standstill. Time had also flown. The hardships they endured seemed like nothing. Everything had happened to this point, Inaho felt had been worthwhile. Everything he wanted and needed was in his grasp. This time he would not let go. Once his grip failed him and his friend died before his eyes. A second time, he failed and the princess was shot in front of him. But he did not fail this time. They had survived their descent onto Earth and now they remained together ever since.

It would be different, Inaho presumed for now they were not enemies. The war had left Slaine with nothing and Slaine had been resolved with that. Slaine had done and given everything he could to the empress. Inaho had done the same, disobeying an order from the admiral and put his life on the line to fulfill her request back then, even now.

 _“_ _See?”_ Inaho thought when looking evermore in Slaine’s eyes.

Two years ago they were lifeless and now they brimming with light. Inaho could bet that Slaine would tell him what he expected what tomorrow would bring; indirectly, Slaine was in some manner thinking about the future.

Slaine looked away; it was apparent Inaho had continued staring. Inaho noted that Slaine’s expression had not improved much yet it didn’t worsen either. For a time, Inaho worried Slaine was about to break down again; it had been awhile after all but Inaho worried that the ashen blond would not recover as well. The new environment had improved Slaine’s mental health however he still bore the scars from Vers and the war, things that aren’t obvious easy to recover, let alone possibly entirely recoverable. What worried Inaho most was Slaine no longer rubber banded entirely back to his stable state and now there was a period where he was clearly not as stable as he’d like. Today was definitely one of his better days and thankfully was the case; Inaho did not want to consider what he would have to do in case the envoy’s visit had gone horrible. He should not consider it now for today was a better day than Inaho had thought. Inaho could tell Slaine was at the cusp of no longer being in denial, chiding himself that he was not allowed or had no right to feeling this way. Slaine had realized something yet he was afraid, an understandable fear for considering everything that has happened to him.

“Slaine, you’re allowed to be happy.” Inaho repeated but this time elaborated. He again caressed Slaine’s cheek. Inaho wanted to add that he would make certain of it yet he thought this was enough to imply that, if not more.

The ashen blond smiled and chuckled. Inaho was familiar with this expression. “Is that the alcohol talking, Orange?” Slaine asked, poking fun. “I’ve heard alcohol can make people hallucinate things. It wouldn’t be too far-fetch for you to--”

“I know you’re not Seylum-san.”

Slaine’s smile faded somewhat.

“And… I know I kissed you earlier. I did not drink that much.”

“Really.” Slaine went with a tone of disbelief and with his free hand, he sat up.

Inaho averted his eyes to which the ashen blond was amused and tilted his head, to see Inaho’s expression.

 _“Maybe… it is the alcohol. That wine is rather odd…”_ Inaho reconsidered and then looked to Slaine. _“At least he’s smiling now… Nevermind, maybe too much.”_

The brunette could tell the ashen blond was getting more amused than he’d like and so Inaho let go of Slaine’s other hand. He went back to the head of the bed; much to his displeasure, it was no longer as warm as it was before he left. Inaho pulled the covers and attempted to suggest. “We should go to--”

He was turning his head to properly address Slaine but he was unable to do so. Slaine had reciprocated the kiss from earlier except Inaho wouldn’t leave it at just that. Inaho returned the kiss, if not with more strength and had again got Slaine to fall back onto the bed. Unlike before however, Inaho had brought the cover with him and wrapped them both.

“H...hey..!” Slaine tried to speak yet Inaho would not relent. The ashen blond was catching on that Inaho was making sure he would not escape.

Slaine’s kiss was all the assurance Inaho needed. Very much like Slaine, it was uncertain of what was happening between them but it was now willing to step into the future. He may still not see a need for the future yet right now he knew he was not going to lose anymore. Inaho was here. Be it as a reminder, as a guard, or something potentially more.

Inaho groaned when he felt a wave of nauseousness; he had moved too quickly.

“Y-you better not be hurling on me!” Slaine exclaimed when Inaho had collapsed on him and the brunette’s head rested, nestling under Slaine’s chin.

Inaho shook his head. “I won’t…”

Slaine sighed as he felt a familiar tightening embrace around his waist and Inaho’s weight was getting heavier on him. “Warm, aren’t you?”

“Mhmm…” Inaho confirmed and fallen asleep, now comfortable.

Slaine wrapped an arm around Inaho’s waist and with his other, rested it on the back of Inaho’s head. He sighed and conceded to his fate. He wasn’t going to be freed of this man anytime soon but it wasn’t so bad. Slaine couldn’t take back the smile that had spread on his face. Inaho was true to his word. There were obviously things that were forever lost but what Inaho could retrieve, Inaho had succeeded. Inaho had not only provided news about the princess and Slaine’s loyal servant, he had managed to get them to reunite even for a short time. And now, he was able to continue this life with his mother, Yuri and Inaho under the blue sky. Inaho had made it certain.

Slaine sniffled as he closed his eyes, fighting back the tears that wanted to once more fall. There were no point in them. No; there was as Slaine felt Inaho’s embrace tightened again, even if he was half-asleep the brunette still reassured him. It may still be time for him to say the words his mother longs to hear and even more for what Inaho may want to hear regarding this development but there was one thing he knew he could say.

The ashen blond whispered, “Thank you… Inaho.”

He was miraculously happy.

**_-Fin_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **A/N3:** The song used was by Carpenters called "Close to You"


	6. Extra: The Next Morning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Implications and wild imaginations. Oh my, oh my!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **A/N:** Since I couldn't bring myself to write a lime or a lemon, I went with this... hopefully it's as funny as I think it is.

==Slaine.7==

The following morning, Slaine had walked into the main house’s dining room. There was no sign of the brunette but Slaine could hear the stove element being turned on from the kitchen.

_“Must be making eggs… again.”_ Slaine reasoned.

After greeting both Yuri and his mother, he went to the nearby cabinet to retrieve a mug. As he reached upward, Slaine hunched back, rubbing his back and groaned. “Ugh…”

Slaine had slept in a position he was not use to; then again he had not shared a bed with someone in years.

“Was it your first time?” Yuri chuckled, asking playfully.

“Yeah…” Slaine answered and thought. _“It was the first time in a long time to share a bed with someone.”_ He yawned and continued. “Was too hot.”

_**Crash!** _

“Oops.” Kirsten went and chuckled nervously. She had ‘dropped’ her coffee mug.

Inaho felt a shiver climb up his spine while he was cooking the eggs.

Slaine blinked before shaking his head; he went to help his mother pick up the broken mug shards. “You really had too much to drink last night, Mom.”

“Haha… I must have… I swore you two had fallen asleep straight away.” Kirsten commented while oddly resting her hands on Slaine’s shoulders. Slaine was bewildered. “Now Slaine, I need to know something.”

Slaine blinked again; there was still some grogginess in his complexion. “Yes, Mom?”

“Were you…” Kirsten swallowed. She had to be both straight and calm for what she was thinking had happened last night. “top or bottom?”

Slaine tilted his head. _“Inaho had me pinned so…”_ “Bottom?”

A sneeze could be heard from the kitchen.

Kirsten’s expression became a bit more forced. It was only a few hours ago that Kirsten had thanked Inaho for bringing her son back home and what was unraveling before her, was something she was not quite sure she was ready to accept. “W-was it painful?”

Her son’s expression became further confused yet he tried his best to smile. _“It must be the hangover talking.”_ “He was heavy and wouldn’t get off--”

Yuri spat his coffee at point blank.

“My god. I swear not another drop is leaving that wine bottle. This is getting ridiculous!” Slaine exclaimed. He went to get a rag and clean Yuri’s mess, shaking his head and visibly displeased how he has yet to eat breakfast and was already cleaning.

_“My son! You tolerated it didn’t you?”_ Kirsten mentally wept; she lowered her head and covered her face.

The kitchen door creaked open slowly as Inaho brought in plates with scrambled eggs, toast and some bacon.

“Breakfast is ready.” Inaho announced.

Upon setting the plates down, Inaho paled for the first thing he saw when lifting his gaze from the plates was Kirsten’s uncomfortable grin.

“Kai… zuka… Inaho… we need to talk,” Kirsten went. Inaho could hear anger seething from her tone.

Inaho looked over to Yuri whose expression was also grim. Clearly, Yuri was implicitly telling him he was boned.

“All right.” Inaho said and followed Kirsten back into the kitchen. He conceded to his fate yet as he looked over to Slaine, who was playfully being messed with by Yuri. The two were fighting over some bacon. This was worth it and another misunderstanding is nothing.

 


End file.
